Which place is cheaper, Medellin or Tulum?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Tulum or Medellin?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Tulum and Medellin can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Tulum or Medellin?
Tulum
When you think of ancient ruins you probably picture dusty archaeological digs surrounded by sand and professors in khaki shorts. What if I told you there is a way to see ancient ruins and visit a tropical beach? That's exactly what you find in Tulum, Mexico.
Built near the end of Mayan era, the ruins of Tulum served as a port before the arrival of the Spanish. It may have been called Zama, meaning City of Dawn, given that these ruins face the sunrise. Because of Tulum's access to both land and sea routes, this spot was an important hub for the trade industry. It may have had another claim to fame, too. According to some murals and other works around the site, it seems this spot was an important site for the worship of the Diving or Descending God. Today, the area is the third most visited archaeological site in all of Mexico with daily tour buses dropping off visitors.
This area is usually packed with people looking to get a glimpse of the seaside ruins. To avoid crowds and capture the best view of the day, try to arrive as early as possible.
Medellin
In addition to big improvements in public safety, Medellin has witnessed a huge surge in urban development projects, including Colombia's first metro system and cable cars to service poorer neighborhoods located high on the mountain sides. There is an abundance of parks, libraries, museums and public spaces with many cultural events taking place. Many travelers also enjoy visiting the surrounding villages, where life is simple and landscapes and nature reserves are wonderful. Medellin has now become one of the "it" cities in the world, with tons of tourists visiting and foreigners settling and retiring here. Beautiful mountains, warm weather, friendly locals, and a vibrant culture are just a few of the reasons why you should visit Medellin.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, The Best Historical Tours in Mexico, The Best Adventure Tours to Colombia, and The Best Eco Tours in Colombia.
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Tulum Prices
Mexico PricesMedellin Prices
Colombia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayTulum $135Medellin $34
The average daily cost (per person) in Tulum is $135, while the average daily cost in Medellin is $34. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Tulum and Medellin in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personTulum $55Medellin $5.48
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomTulum $110Medellin $11
Compare Hotels in Tulum and Medellin
Looking for a hotel in Tulum or Medellin? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Tulum Hotel Prices and Medellin Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Tulum $26Medellin $4.78
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Tulum
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Tulum are as follows:
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Scooter Rental$17
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tulum
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Tulum:
- Airport Transfer One Way - Cancun / Tulum - Private or Luxury: $140
- Cancun Airport CUN Private Departure Transfer by SUV with Drinks: $128
- Cancun Airport to Tulum Hotels Arrival/Departure Transfer: $77
- Cancun International Airport Luxury Private Limo Transfer: $192
- Economy Private Transfer from Tulum to Cancun Airport – Safe: $140
- Luxury SUV Private Transfer from Tulum to Cancun Airport: $263
- Luxury Transfer from Cancun Airport to Tulum: $250
- One Way Private Transfer Tulum Zone - Cancun Int Airport: $170
- Private Luxury Transfer Tulum to Cancun Airport: $220
- Private Minibus transfers from Tulum Airport: $170
- Private Transfer From Tulum To Chiquila Port: $191
- Private Transfer From Tulum to Cancun With a 2 Hour Stop: $201
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Medellin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Medellin:
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Taxi$1.90
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Medellin
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Medellin:
- Medellin Airport (EOH) to Medellin - Arrival Private Transfer: $31
- Medellin Airport (MDE) to Medellin - Arrival Private Transfer: $31
- Medellín Private Transfer: José María Córdova Airport: $34
- Private Airport Transfer: $35
- Private Medellin MDE airport pick up transfer service one way: $35
- Medellín: José María Córdova Airport Private Transfer: $36
- Medellin to Medellin Airport (EOH) - Departure Private Transfer: $40
- Medellin Airport (EOH) to Medellin - Arrival Private Transfer: $40
- Private Airport Transfer in Medellín: Arrival Service: $43
- Medellín Airport Private Transfer Service (Departure): $43
- Medellín Private Transfer from Medellín City to Olaya Herrera (EOH) Airport: $46
- Medellín Private Transfer from Olaya Herrera (EOH) Airport to Medellín City: $46
Is it cheaper to fly into Tulum or Medellin?
Prices for flights to both Medellin and Tulum change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayTulum $54Medellin $19
Typical Food Prices in Tulum
Some typical examples of dining costs in Tulum are as follows:
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Lunch$2.75
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tulum
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Tulum.
- Salsa Class,Mezcalita Workshop & Mexican Dinner: $86
- Tortilla & Taco Cooking Class – Mexican Cuisine from scratch: $91
- Mexican Cooking Class with Tacos, Ceviche and Margaritas in Tulum: $95
- Mexican Cooking class experience in Tulum: $132
- Temazcal Mayan Ritual, Cenote, Yucatecan Dinner from Tulum: $149
- Private transfer for 5 hours (go dinner,cenotes, shopping and more): $299
Typical Food Prices in Medellin
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Medellin:
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Lunch$2.42
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Medellin
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Medellin.
- Medellín: Comuna 13 True Story and Street Food Tour: $14
- Empanada Cooking Class with Local Chef - Comuna 13: $34
- Medellin Food Tour with 10 Local Bites and Rooftop Beer: $35
- Empanada Cooking Class by Local Chef in Comuna 13 (Small Groups): $35
- Laureles Food Tour: $41
- Medellín: Comuna 13 Street Art and Street Food Tour: $44
- Private Empanada Cooking Class in Guatape: $48
- Medellin Food Tour in Laureles: $54
- Medellín Home Cooking Class, Fruit Tasting & Colombian Snack: $55
- Medellin Private Nighttime City Sightseeing Tour by E-Bike + Gourmet Dinner: $59
- Colombia Inspired Food Tour: $59
- Medellín: Street Food Tour with Local Tastings: $62
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Tulum $29Medellin $15
Tours and Activities in Tulum
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Tulum are as follows:
- Coba Ruins Self-Guided Walking Tour with Audio Guide: $9.99
- Tulum Mayan Ruins GPS Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $9.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - The Return Home: $11
- Ruins in Tulum Walking Tour with Audioguide (no ticket): $11
- Self Guided Audio Walking Tour of Tulum: $15
- Adrenaline ATV Cenote and Zip Lines Experience at Tulum: $25
- Entrance tickets to swim in 4 Cenotes in Casa Tortuga Park: $27
- 4 Sacred Cenotes Adventure with Rappel and Mayan Ceremony: $29
- Experience at Cenote Zemway in Tulum: $31
- Cancun: ATV Jungle Adventure, Cenote and Tulum Ruins Tour: $32
- Tulum Archaeological Site Ticket with Jaguar Park Access: $35
- Experience Mayan Snorkeling and Swimming in Lagoon / Cenote in Tulum: $38
Tours and Activities in Medellin
Here are a few actual costs in Medellin for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Fly over Medellín Metrocable: Transformation Tour: $10
- Entry Ticket to the Museum of Modern Art of Medellin: $12
- Medellín: Explore Downtown And Live The Real City Experience: $12
- Medellín: Comuna 13 Tour with Snacks and a Local Guide: $13
- Medellín: Comuna 13 Local History Tour with Graffiti & Snack: $13
- Commune 13 Street Art & Tour Local Guide + Food & Stories: $13
- Medellín: Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour With Local Snacks Included: $13
- Comuna 13 Graffiti Tour with a Local & Artisan Ice Cream ⭐: $14
- Full Comuna 13 Tour: Graffiti, History and the Famous Comuna 13 Ice Cream: $14
- Medellin Historic Walking Tour: $15
- GRAFITOUR COMUNA 13 more than a tour an EXPERIENCE: $15
- Medellín: Comuna 13 Sembradores De Amor Sightseeing Tour: $15
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayTulum $23Medellin $8.32
Sample the Local Flavors in Medellin
Also in Medellin, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- The "Beyond Local Pub Crawl" Now in Medellín!: $24
- Medellín: Pub crawl in Provenza, music, dancing, and shots: $30
- Medellin Private Bar Crawl with private transportation: $138
- Night Out Gay Bar Crawl in Medellin: $150
- Medellin Pub Crawl with transport Including Food and City Tour: $166
- Medellín: San Francisco Wine Tour with Tastings & Lunch: $332
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tulum and Medellin, we can see that Tulum is more expensive. And not only is Medellin much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Tulum is in North America and Medellin is in South America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Medellin would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Medellin and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Tulum would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Tulum than you might in Medellin.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Tulum Expensive? and Is Medellin Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Tulum or Medellin?
Medellin has a larger population, and is about 240 times larger than the population of Tulum. When comparing the sizes of Tulum and Medellin, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.